Chip-free explosively actuated valve



Oct. 21, 1969 HAEFNER ET AL 3 $473,543

CHIP-FREE EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED VALVE Filed July 13, 1964 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTORS ARTHUR E. HAEFNER EDWARD G. PIERSON ROMAN JANKOWIAK ATTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1969 A, E, HAEFNER EI'AL 3,473,543

CHIP-FREE EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED VALVE Filed July 1-3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR E. HAEFNER EDWARD G. PIERSON ROMAN JANKOWIAK BY 0 Z ATTORNEYS CllllP-FREE EXPLQSIVELY ACTUATED VALVE Arthur E. Haefner, Williamsville, Edward G. Pierson,

Grand Island, and Roman Jauirowialr, Buffalo, N.Y., as-

sign-ors to Conax Corporation, Buffalo, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,053 lint, (Tl. Flok 13/04, 17/14, 17/40 US. Cl. 13767 3 vClaims This invention relates to improvements in explosively actuated valves.

Explosively actuated valves are known. For example, United States Patents Nos. 2,815,882 and 2,947,3l5, owned by the assignee of the present application, show normally closed electrically triggered explosively actuated valves having a metal body divided into two chambers by an integral transverse closure wall adapted to be punched out by a ram. While it is intended that a portion of such closure wall be punched out as a single piece by the ram, it is difiicult sometimes to prevent the formation of metal chips in such prior art valves. These chips may be Carried downstream by the fluid being handled by the valve with the result that the operation of other equipment downstream may be adversely affected or be caused to malfunction, which is undesirable.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an explosively actuated valve in which a closure wall member may be displaced in an intact and unfragmented condition by a ram, that is, without such member being ruptured or fragmented which would result in the formation of chips or fragments.

More specifically, another object is to provide an explosively actuated valve in which a closure wall separating two chambers and blocking communication therebetween may be displaced by a ram so as to establish communication between the chambers without the formation of chips.

Another object is to provide such a chip-free explosively actuated valve in which the movable wall is a separate or non-integral member which when in an operative position acts as a closure between the chambers and effectively seals against leakage from one chamber to the other.

Still another object is to provide such a chip-free explosively actuated valve in which the ram for displacing the closure member is itself in a position within the valve body in which it effectively seals against the flow of fluid past it in either direction, when in a ready condition before being fired, while moving during firing or when coming to rest thereafter.

Another aim is to provide such a chip-free explosively actuated valve which is relatively simple in construction and easy to manufacture and hence relatively inexpensive.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of two embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of an electrically triggered explosively actuated three-way valve embodying one form of the present invention, and illustrating the valve in an unfired condition.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the three-way valve after being fired.

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view thereof and taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is another vertical transverse Sectional view thereof and taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of an electrically triggered explosively actuated two-way valve embodying another form of the present invention, and illustrating the valve in an unfired condition.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating the two-way valve after being fired.

nited States Patent 0 ice FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view thereof and taken on line 77 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is another vertical transverse sectional View thereof and taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 1-4

The invention is illustrated in FIGS. l-4 as being embodied in an electrically triggered explosively actuated three-way valve shown as comprising body means indicated generally at 10, ram means indicated generally at 11, and detonator means indicated generally at 12.

The body means are shown as including an elongated tubular body member 13 having a passage indicated generally by the numeral 14 extending longitudinally therethrough which communicates with axially spaced ports 15, 16 and 17. The body member 13 adjacent the port 15 is shown as being externally recessed slightly to receive the inner end of a nipple 19 which is suitably fastened to this body member as by the annular weldment 18. Similar nipples 20 and 21 are severally mounted similarly on the body member 13 and operatively associated with the ports 16 and 17, respectively. These nipples 19-21 are adapted to be connected to conduits (not shown) whereby a liquid or gaseous fluid is conducted to and from the valve.

The body passage 14 is shown as including an intermediate restricted portion or hole 22 formed by an internal cylindrical wall surface. On one side of this hole 22, the passage 14 is shown as including an adjacent diametrically enlarged inner cylindrical portion 23 and a remote still further diametrically enlarged cylindrical outer portion 24. This latter portion 24 is shown as occupied by a sealed plug 25 which is secured in any suitable manner to the body member 13 as by welding indicated at 26.

On the other side of the hole 22, the passage 14 is shown as including an adjacent cylindrical portion 28 having a diameter somewhat larger than that of the hole 22 but not as large as that for the passage 23. Arranged remotely from the hole 22 is a cylindrical portion 29 of larger diameter than the portion 23, and connecting these portions 28 and 29 is an intermediate frusto-conical portion 30. Outwardly of the remote portion 29, the passage 14 is shown as greatly enlarged in diameter as indicated at 31 and formed with internal threads 32, the surrounding portion 33 of the body member being enlarged to accommodate the passage enlargement.

The ram means 11 are shown as being in the form of an elongated one-piece element having at one end a cylindrical closure part 34, a cylindrical piston part 35 at the other end, a cylindrical deceleration part 36 adjacent this piston part and of smaller diameter, a frusto-conical part 37 connecting the piston and deceleration parts, and a rod part 38 intermediate these deceleration and closure parts and serving as a spacer therebetween. This rod part 38 is also preferably cylindrical in external configuration and is shown as having a diameter smaller than those for the closure part 34 and deceleration part 36. The axially outer annular corner of the closure part 34 is shown at 39 as being rounded.

The closure part 34 is shown in FIG. 1 as being arranged in the restricted passage portion or hole 22 with its cylindrical periphery engaging the cylindrical hole wall surface and, being imperforate, transversely fills this hole as shown in FIG. 3. A feature of the present invention is that this closure part 34 has an interference fit with the wall surface defining the hole 22. Such interference fit is achieved by forming the hole 22 with an inside diameter which is several thousandths of an inch smaller than the outside diameter of the closure part 34 and axially forcing this closure part into this hole from the left as viewed in FIG. 1. The rounded leading edge 39 on the closure part 34 facilitates such entrance into the hole portion 22.

The piston part of the ram means is press fitted within the passage portion 29, effected when the closure part 34 is positioned in the hole 22 as just described. The adjacent deceleration part 36 is axially spaced from the passage portion 28 when the valve is in its unfired condition as shown in FIG. 1. Another feature of the present invention is that this passage portion 28 has an inside diameter several thousandths of an inch less than the outside diameter of the deceleration ram part 36 so that when the ram is moved axially toward the passage portion 28 this deceleration part will be forced into an interference fit with the wall surface of this passage portion and completely transversely fill this passage portion as shown in FIG. 4. The leading annular edge of the deceleration part 36 is preferably rounded as indicated at 27.

The detonator means 12 are shown as comprising a squib or detonator 40 arranged within a cylindrical recess 41 formed in a plug member 42. This plug member is shown as having an externally threaded portion 43 adapted to be screwed into the internal threads 32 provided in the body member 13, and a radially enlarged annular head part 44 formed to provide an axially facing annular flat radial shoulder 45 adapted to abuttingly engage an outwardly facing annular flat radial surface 46 formed on the outer end of the enlarged body portion 33 of the body member 13. The inner corner of this end surface 46 is shown as being chamfered to accommodate a seal ring 48 such as a rubber O-ring in the space formed between this chamfered edge and the corner between the outer surface of the tubular part 42 and head part 44.

The periphery 49 of the head part 44 is formed with an out-of-round configuration. A similar out-of-round peripheral configuration 50 is preferably formed on the enlarged part 33 of the body member 13 adjacent the head part 44. These out-of-round configurations 49 and 50 severally may be of any suitable shape but preferably are hexagonal when viewed from the end so as to permit the application of a wrench (not shown) or other suitable tool. By applying such tools to the out-of-round surfaces 49 and 50, it will be seen that the plug member 42 can be firmly tightened down against the enlarged part 33 of the body member 13 so as to compress the seal ring 48 and prevent the escape of fluid outwardly past the threaded connection between these members.

The squib or detonator 40 may be of any suitable and known construction. It is shown as having lead wires 51 leading therefrom by which an electrical current may be supplied to the powder charge of this detonator to fire the same. These wires 51 are shown as passing through a central axial hole 52 in a cylindrical body 53 of compressible material. The wires 51 also extend through a central axial hole 54 provided in the head part 44 of the plug 42. The compressible body 53 is useful to absorb some of the recoil of the squib or detonator 40 when fired and the axial compression of this body so produced effects a radially inward contraction thereof about the wires 51 to produce a sealing effect.

With the various components of the valve arranged in the unfired condition illustrated in FIG. 1, it will be seen that the passage portions 28-30, closed at one end by the closure part 34 and at the other end by the piston part 35, provide a chamber 55 on one side of the closure part 34. On the other side thereof, the passage portion 23, closed at one end by the closure part 34 and at its other end by the plug 25, provides another chamber 56. The port 16 is shown as communicating at all times with this chamber 56. The port 17 is shown as communicating at all times with the chamber 55 immediately adjacent the hole 22. The port 15 is shown as communicating with the chamber 55 adjacent the juncture between the passage portions 29 and 30. Thus in the ready-to-fire condition of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the ports 15 and 16 are in fluid conducting communication with each other through the intermediary of the chamber 55. This chamher 55 is blocked from communication with the chamber 56 by the closure part 34.

When an electrical current passes through the lead wires 51, the squib or detonator 40 is triggered and fires, generating gas under pressure which will serve as a propellant to drive the ram means 11 in a rightward direction as viewed in FIG. 1. When being so driven, the closure part 34 is displaced from sealing engagement with the wall surface of the restricted hole 22 and is displaced into the chamber 56, as illustrated in FIG. 2. This removal of the closure part 34 from the hole 22 establishes communication between the chambers 55 and 56 through the annular space 57 provided between the ram rod part 38 and the surrounding and radially spaced wall surface of the hole 22, also as illustrated in FIG. 2. The rightward movement of the ram means 11 from its unfired position shown in FIG. 1 is restrained yieldably by the drag produced not only by the press fit between the piston part 35 and Wall of passage portion 29 but as well by the interference fit between the closure part 34 and wall of hole 22. While the drag of the piston part 55 continues, that associated with engagement of the closure part 34 with the surface of hole 22 will terminate when this closure part is removed completely from this hole. and about this time the deceleration part 36 enters the passage portion 28. It is nicely cammed into engagement by its rounded leading edge 27 sliding on the wall surface of the frusto-conical passage portion 30. As previously described, the deceleration part 36 has an inter ference fit with the wall surface of the passage portion 28. This serves to dissipate the ram drive energy and gradually slow down rightward movement of the ram means 11 which continues until it is stopped by the frusto-conical ram part 37 engaging the Wall surface of thee frusto-conical passage portion 30. At this time the deceleration part 36 has been inserted to its full axial extent into the passage portion 28. Since it has an interference fit therewith, fluid conducting communication between the ports 15 and 17 is sealingly blocked and a leakproof joint is provided.

Thus with the three-way valve in the unfired condition shown in FIG. 1, the port 17 communicates in fluid conducting relation with the port 15 but is blocked from communication with port 16. When the valve is fired by electrically triggering the squib or detonator 40 and the ram means 14 moves to the fully fired condition illustrated in FIG. 2, it will be seen that port 17 has been blocked from communication with port 15 but has had fiuid conducting communication established with port 16 through annular space 57. If port 17 is an inlet and ports 15 and 16 are outlets, fluid flow will occur from inlet port 17 to outlet port 15 but not to outlet port 16 when the valve is unfired, and when fired fluid flow will occur from inlet port 17 to outlet port 16 but not to outlet port 15.

FIGS. 5-8

The invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 as being embodied in a normally closed two-way valve shown as comprising body means indicated generally at 60, ram means indicated generally at 61 and detonator means indicated generally at 62. The body means is shown as comprising a body member 63 cruciform in shape in longitudinal section and formed internally with a through passage indicated generally at 64 which communicates with a pair of longitudinally spaced ports 65 and 66. The outer end portions of these ports 65 and 66 are shown as enlarged and internally threaded so as to receive means (not shown) for attaching fluid conduits (not shown).

The passage 64 is shown as including an intermediate restricted cylindrical portion 68 which on one side has a slightly enlarged cylindrical portion 69. The outer end portion of this passage portion 69 is shown as being slightly enlarged and internally threaded to receive a plug 70 which may be screwed into place, the threaded engagement being sealed by a suitable seal ring 71 such as a rubber O-ring. On the other side of the restricted passage portion 68, the passage 64 is shown as including an adjacent cylindrical portion 72, a frusto-conical portion 73 which enlarges into a cylindrical portion 74. This cylindrical portion 74 has a larger diameter than the portion 72 which in turn has a larger diameter than the restricted portion 68. Outwardly of the passage portion 74 is a further enlarged cylindrical portion 75 having internal threads which receive the external threads of a plug member 76 forming a component of the detonator means 62.

Other components of this detonator means including a squib or detonator 78 having lead wires 79 which extend through a hole 80 in an enlarged head part 81 of the plug member 76. This head part has an out-of-round external configuration indicated at 82 to which a suitable tool (not shown) may be attached for tightening the plug member against the end face of the body member 63. The adjacent part of the body member 63 is preferably provided with an external out-of-round configuration to permit a tool to be applied to it for this purpose. A suitable seal ring 83 such as a rubber O-ring is shown as clamped between the opposing faces of the head part 81 and the body member 63.

The ram means 61 is shown as being an elongated one-piece member including at one end an enlarged imperforate spherical closure part 85, at the other end a cylindrical piston part 86 connected by a frusto-conical part 87 to a cylindrical part 88 of relatively smaller diameter, in turn connected to a rod part 89, This rod part 89 is preferably cylindrical and of smaller diameter than both the spherical closure part 85 and deceleration part 88 and serves as a spacer therebetween. The piston part 86 has a press fit in the passage portion 74. The hole 68 is dimensioned with respect to the spherical closure part 85 so as to have a slightly smaller diameter thereby to provide an interference fit. Likewise, the passage portion 72 is dimensioned somewhat smaller than the deceleration part 88 so that when they engage an interference fit therebetween will be provided.

With the two-way valve in the unfired condition illustrated in FIG. 5, the passage portion 69, closed at one end by the spherical closure part 85 and at its other end by the plug 70, provides a chamber 90. On the other side of the closure part 85, the connected passage portions 72-74, closed at one end by the spherical closure part 85 and at its other end by the piston part 86, provide a chamber 91. The port 65 communicates with chamber 90 adjacent hole 68 and port 66 is shown as communicating with chamber 91 adjacent hole 68. In this unfired condition of the valve, the ports 65 and 66 are blocked from fluid conducting communication with each other by the spherical closure part 85 of the ram means 61. This spherical closure part 85 has a circular periphery when viewed from the end of the ram which has an interference fit with the wall surface of the hole 68, as previously explained, and further it will be seen that this closure part 85 transversely fills the hole 68 as shown in FIG. 7.

When the two-way valve is fired by passing a current through the wires 79 leading to the squib or detonator 62, the various elements ultimately assume the fully fired condition illustrated in FIG. 6. In moving from the unfired condition shown in FIG, 5 to the fully fired condition shown in FIG. 6, it will be seen that the spherical closure part 85 has been displaced axially from the restricted hole 68 into a position within the chamber 90 to provide an annular space 92 representing the now unoccupied portion of hole 68, thereby placing this chamber in communication through this space with chamber 91 and port 66. At the same time, the frusto-conical ram part 87 has been moved into abutting engagement with the frusto-conical passage portion 73 and the deceleration part 88 has been forced into an interference fit with the wall surface of passage portion 72 to provide a leakproof joint therebetween as shown in FIG. 8.

Thus fluid conducting communication is established betwen the ports 65 and 66, one of which can serve as a fluid inlet and the other of which can serve as a fluid outlet. In either case, the interference fit between the spherical closure part and the wall surface of hole 68 seals the chambers and 91 from each other. If the port 66 is considered an inlet port and fluid, whether a gas or liquid, is confined under pressure in the chamber 91, it will be seen that engagement between the spherical closure part 85 and the wall surface of the hole 68 seals one end of this chamber, and the press fit of the piston head part 86 in passage portions 74 seals the other end of this chamber, when the valve is in an unfired condition as shown in FIG. 5. When the valve is in a fired condition as shown in FIG. 6, the deceleration part 88 by reason of its interference fit with the passage portion 72 provides an additional seal to prevent leakage of fluid either from chamber 91 past piston head part 86, or propellant gases generated by firing of the squib or detonator 78 past the piston head part 86 into chamber 91.

What is claimed is:

1. In an explosively actuated valve, the combination comprising a body formed to provide an elongated compartment having a relatively restricted cylindrical intermediate portion, a first ported chamber on one side of said restricted portion and a second ported chamber on the other side of said restricted portion, said second chamber including a cylindrical section adjacent said restricted portion and a remote section, said adjacent section having a diameter larger than said restricted portion but less than said remote section, elongated ram means arranged in said compartment and including a closure part at one end arranged in said restricted portion and transverely filling the same and having an interference fit with the surrounding Wall surface of said restricted portion, a piston part at the other end and transversely filling said remote section and having a press fit with the surrounding wall thereof and a cylindrical deceleration part arranged in said remote section between said closure and piston parts and having a slightly larger diameter than said adjacent section and out of engagement therewith, and detonator means arranged when fired to drive said closure part out of said restricted portion into said first chamber and thereby establish communication between said chambers and also to drive said deceleration part toward said adjacent section and into an interference fit therewith and thereby sealingly close one end of said adjacent section.

2. In an explosively actuated valve, the combination comprising a body formed to provide an elongated compartment having a relatively restricted cylindrical intermediate portion, a first ported chamber on one side of said restricted portion and a second ported chamber on the other side of said restricted portion, said second chamber including a cylindrical section adjacent said restricted portion, a remote cylindrical section of larger diameter and a frusto-conical section interconnecting said adjacent and remote sections, said adjacent section having a diameter larger than said restricted portion, elongated ram means arranged in said compartment and including a circular closure part at one end, a cylindrical piston part at the other end, a cylindrical deceleration part adjacent said piston part and of smaller diameter, a frusto-conical part interconnecting said piston and deceleration parts and a rod part intermediate said deceleration and closure parts, said closure part being arranged in said restricted portions and transversely filling the same and having an interference fit with the surrounding wall surface of said restricted portion, said piston part transversely filling said remote section and having a press fit with the surrounding Wall thereof, said deceleration part being arranged in said remote section and having a slightly larger diameter than said adjacent section and out of engagement therewith, said rod part having a transverse dimension less than both said closure and deceleration parts, and detonator means arranged when fired to drive said closure part out of said restricted portion into said first chamber and thereby establish communication between said chambers and also to drive said deceleration part toward and into said adjacent section with an interference fit until said frusto-conical section and part engage and thereby Sealingly close one end of said adjacent section.

3. In an explosively actuated three-way valve, the combination comprising a body having first and second chambers and a Wall surface portion defining a passage which connects said chambers, said second chamber including a portion adjacent said passage having a transverse dimension larger than that of said passage, a first port communicating with said first chamber, a second port communicating with said second chamber, a third port communicating with said adjacent portion, a first movable imperforate closure member arranged in said passage and transversely filling the same and having an interference fit With the surrounding Wall surface and being arranged between said first and third ports thereby to block communication between said first port and said second and third ports, said second and third ports communicating with each other, a second movable imperforate closure and deceleration member arranged in said second chamber and spaced from said adjacent portion and larger in transverse dimension than said adjacent portion and adapted to be moved into said adjacent portion with an interference fit so as to 1310024 communication between said second and third ports, spacer means separating said members and smaller tn transverse dimension than both said adjacent portion and passage, and explosively actuated means for displacing said members and spacer means to drive said first member into said first chamber thereby to establish communication between said first and third ports and to drive said second member into said adjacent portion and thereby block communication between said second and third ports.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,517,061 8/1950 Stackelberg 137-6251 1 2,937,654 5/1960 Wilner 137h8 2,997,051 8/1961 Williams 137o8 3,122,154 2/1964 Siebel 137-68 3,260,272 7/1966 Eckardt 137-68 WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner RICHARD GERARD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

1. IN AN EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED VALVE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A BODY FORMED TO PROVIDE AN ELONGATED COMPARTMENT HAVING A RELATIVELY RESTRICTED CYLINDRICAL INTERMEDIATE PORTION, A FIRST PORTED CHAMBER ON ONE SIDE OF SAID RESTRICTED PORTION AND A SECOND PORTED CHAMER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID RESTRICTED PORTION, SAID SECOND CHAMBER INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL SECTION ADJACENT SAID RESTRICTED PORTION AND A REMOTE SECTION, SAID ADJACENT SECTION HAVING A DIAMETER LARGER THAN SAID RESTRICTED PORTION BUT LESS THAN SAID REMOTE SECTION, ELONGATED RAM MEANS ARRANGED IN SAID COMPARTMENT AND INCLUDING A CLOSURE PART AT ONE END ARRANGED IN SAID RESTRICTED PORTION AND TRANSVERSELY FILLING THE SAME AND HAVING AN INTERFERENCE FIT WITH THE SURROUNDING WALL SURFACE OF SAID RESTRICTED PORTION, A PISTON PART AT THE OTHER END AND TRANSVERSELY FILLING SAID REMOTE SECTION AND HAVING A PRESS FIT WITH THE SURROUNDING WALL THEREO AND A CYLINDRICAL DECELERATION PART ARRANGED IN SAID REMOTE SECTION BETWEEN SAID CLOSURE AND PISTON PARTS AND HAVING A SLIGHTLY LARGER DIAMETER THAN SAID ADJACENT SECTION AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, AND DETONATOR MEANS ARRANGED WHEN FIRED TO DRIVE SAID CLOSURE PART OUT OF SAID RESTRICTED PORTION INTO SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND THEREBY ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS AND ALSO TO DRIVE SAID DECELERATION PART TOWARD SAID ADJACENT SECTION AND INTO AN INTERFERENCE FIT THEREWITH AND THEREBY SEALINGLY CLOSE ONE END OF SAID ADJACENT SECTION. 